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𝐌𝐀𝐑𝐈𝐍𝐀 𝐒𝐀𝐓 in transfiguration next to Lavender and Pavarti as Professor McGonagall continued to scold the others who weren't paying attention.
"You are now entering a most important phase of your magical education!" she told them, her eyes glinting dangerously behind her square spec- tacles. "Your Ordinary Wizarding Levels are drawing closer –"
"We don't take O.W.L.s till fifth year!" said Dean Thomas indignantly.
"Maybe not, Thomas, but believe me, you need all the preparation you can get! Miss Granger and Miss.Weasley remains are the only people in this class who has managed to turn a hedgehog into a satisfactory pincushion. I might remind you that your pincushion, Thomas, still curls up in fright if anyone approaches it with a pin!"
Hermione, who had turned rather pink again, seemed to be trying not to look too pleased with herself. Marina rolled her eyes.
During her next class, Marina was deeply amused when Professor Trelawney told them that she had received top marks for their homework. She read out large portions of their predictions, commending them for their unflinching acceptance of the horrors in store for them – but she were less amused when she asked them to do the same thing for the month after next; since of she was running out of ideas for catastrophes.
Meanwhile Professor Binns, the ghost who taught History of Magic, had them writing weekly essays on the goblin rebellions of the eighteenth cen- tury. Which Marina didn't mind. She always thought history was interesting.
Professor Snape was forcing them to research antidotes. They took this one seriously, as he had hinted that he might be poisoning one of them before Christmas to see if their antidote worked.
Professor Flitwick had asked them to read three extra books in preparation for their lesson on Summoning Charms.
Even Hagrid was adding to their workload. The Blast-Ended Skrewts were growing at a remarkable pace given that nobody had yet discovered what they ate. Hagrid was delighted, and as part of their "project," suggested that they come down to his hut on alternate evenings to observe the skrewts and make notes on their extraordinary behavior.
"I will not," said Draco Malfoy flatly when Hagrid had proposed this with the air of Father Christmas pulling an extra-large toy out of his sack. "I see enough of these foul things during lessons, thanks."
Hagrid's smile faded off his face.
"Yeh'll do wha' yer told," he growled, "or I'll be takin' a leaf outta Professor Moody's book I hear yeh made a good ferret, Malfoy."
The Gryffindors roared with laughter. Malfoy flushed with anger, but apparently the memory of Moody's punishment was still sufficiently painful to stop him from retorting.
